We will have two reading programs this year. One is a more phonics-based program caller Blast from Really Great Reading, and the other is Journeys.
In the blast program, your child will study the relationship between letters and sounds. Blast Foundations is one of the effective and engaging programs that make up Really Great Reading's Phonics Suite™. The phonics instruction for students participating in these lessons will help them read with confidence and accuracy and will thereby increase their ability to comprehend more difficult materials. Blast Foundations lessons provide the intensive, targeted instruction and interactive practice that students need to master essential reading skills. Once students complete the lessons, they should be stronger readers. The result is that they are more motivated in academic classes and that their school performance improves.
Here are a few things that you can do to learn more about the Really Great Reading BLAST program that we are using in first grade and how to help your child be the best reader they can be!
-Parent Crash Course: Please watch the Parent Crash Course Video. It will show you the best way to support your child. You will learn how to listen to the sounds (phonemes) in a word and then link the sound to the symbols (letters). It’s a quick overview on how to segment words using letter tiles and SyllaBoards.
Home Connection - Parent Crash Course on Vimeo
-Use Letter Tile Free Play to Build and Spell Words- This digital letter tile interface gives students the ability to participate in distance learning and/or to independently build and spell words.
Using_Letter_Tile_Free_Play_to_Practice_Spelling_Words_FINAL_03272020.pdf (reallygreatreading.com)
Really Great Reading Letter Tile Freeplay
https://www.reallygreatreading.com/blast/supplemental/pdfs/SpellingListsforDisplay_Blast.pdf
-Student High-Frequency Word Practice- High-frequency words are a great practice item. You can also use Letter Tile Free Play to build these words.
Heart Word Magic - Read and Spell High Frequency Words | Really Great Reading
"Learning to read is an excursion into the unknown. It's about meeting challenges head-on and gaining confidence with each victory. Preparing students for this voyage requires a program that lets teachers introduce the right discoveries at the right time. When things begin to line up, you can see confidence start to shine in students' eyes. Journeys is a comprehensive K-6 English language arts program. It provides an instructional system for reading both literature and informational texts, for acquiring foundational reading skills, and for developing mastery of speaking, listening and writing. "